I am a female swordsman.

However, Huang Quan's only response was an "oh," as if she hadn't seen through Kaneki's lie and believed him.

Seeing how easily Huang Quan accepted his casual explanation, Kaneki felt a pang of guilt. Although they hadn't spent much time together, he genuinely admired Huang Quan and saw her as someone he strived to emulate. Like an idol, a mentor, and even... an older sister.

"You saw it just now, didn't you?" After putting her sword pouch back on, Huang Quan walked up to Kaneki.

She stood quite close, making Kaneki shrink back in fear.

"What did you see, Senior Huang Quan?"

"……nothing."

Huang Quan's usually calm and indifferent expression suddenly showed a strange look. The fact that he was able to make a sound just before she drew her sword, causing her to lose her momentum and become unable to continue, made Huang Quan wonder if Jin Mu's actions were just a coincidence, or if his perception of the outside world was also exceptionally sharp.

"Tomorrow, the training will be more intense."

"what?!"

"100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run. If you're going to give up, don't bother coming to see me tomorrow."

Kaneki's face immediately fell when he heard about the increased number of training exercises. He suddenly wondered if Yomi had seen through his lie and was deliberately messing with him. However, this disrespectful thought only lasted a moment before Kaneki dismissed it. If Yomi had really seen through him, she probably would have drawn her sword and attacked him on the spot.

It can only be said that the ruthless image of Huang Quan [Sword Demon] has deeply resonated with people.

Kaneki initially thought that with his ghoul's physical abilities, he would easily cope with Yomi's intensified training courses. However, after the new training began on the second day, Kaneki realized that he was wrong.

That's completely wrong!

The so-called 100 push-ups were done with Huang Quan sitting on his back! The 100 sit-ups were done by Huang Quan stepping on them with his feet, and the pain from the heels of his shoes was enough to bring tears to one's eyes!

What made Kaneki feel most desperate was the so-called 10-kilometer run!

Watching the slender and frail Huang Quan easily keep up with him for 10 kilometers, and occasionally launch sudden attacks with her wooden sword, Kaneki's despair was unimaginable.

He finally understood why Huang Quan, as a human, was so ridiculously strong. The almost self-destructive training was bound to make him incredibly powerful. Under such rigorous training, Kaneki would return home exhausted, like a dead dog, his muscles aching, sore, and numb all over.

However, Kaneki became somewhat addicted to this kind of wholehearted, selfless training, and he clearly noticed that he was getting stronger.

Even Amon Kotaro, who had recovered from his injuries and been discharged from the hospital, couldn't help but join in the training. After learning that Kaneki was the unfortunate civilian in the "Oogiri" extermination campaign, Amon and the others were very happy and patted Kaneki on the shoulder, feeling happy for him.

The idiot Amon and the shy Kaneki quickly became good friends who could chat freely with each other, something Huang Quan hadn't expected.

Seeing that Kaneki was able to persevere and begin to grow, Yomi felt exceptionally happy.

During Kaneki's training, Yomi also went to Ward 23 several times to interrogate Ryoko Fueguchi in order to obtain more information on Aogiri Tree and Jason. Her conversation with Kureo Mado made her realize that the crows didn't have much time left in Ward 20. Hideyoshi Nagachika did not disappoint Yomi; he demonstrated strong analytical skills, and his analysis results surprised Yomi. One of them was that Aogiri Tree's true target should not be in Ward 11.

In the midst of these fulfilling and busy days, Mado Kureo finally returned to the 20th Ward with orders from headquarters.

Chapter 79 Mado and Kaneki

"Finally, I made it through today's training..."

With a cheerful smile on his face, Kaneki Ken rubbed his aching shoulders and greeted the staff of the 20th Division as usual. Due to his frequent visits to the 20th Division and his good relationship with Amon Ichi-chan and Yomi San-chan, Kaneki Ken had become well-known to almost all the staff.

That young man who was highly regarded by the Sword Demon.

as well as……

The fourth crow, the training maniac, and other titles.

Kaneki felt a mix of shame and satisfaction at being recognized by such a title, while Yomi, who had been through similar experiences, happily comforted Kaneki, telling him to be strong.

"I have to go back to [Antiques] to cover for Miss's shift, and I also need to review my lessons tonight. I've fallen behind so much, I'll have to ask Yingliang to lend me his notes. Oh right, and... oh no!!"

Just as Kaneki was planning his day, he bumped into a white figure without realizing it.

Jinmu, who had been suffering from the torment of the Yellow Springs all morning, collapsed to the ground.

"Ouch!"

It wasn't the impact that caused the pain, but rather the muscle soreness from the high-intensity training, which made the impact feel incredibly intense.

"Excuse me, young man, are you alright..." The white voice revealed an indescribable strangeness, as if it were neurotic beyond human comprehension. Kaneki Ken subconsciously raised his head and saw an old man with uneven eyes staring at him. For a moment, Kaneki thought he had seen the Grim Reaper!

"No, it's nothing!"

"Um……?"

As Mado Kureo looked down at Kaneki Ken, his eyes widened instinctively. His incredibly keen sense for ghouls went off like a horrible alarm when he saw the boy wearing an eyepatch! His sharp, death-like eyes narrowed, revealing a captivating light. Mado Kureo stroked his chin, his fingers moving to the button on the briefcase.

"Please wait a moment. You're so young, are you a family member of any staff member in District 20?"

The skinny arm grabbed Kaneki in an instant!

Those withered fingers inexplicably reminded Kaneki of the sharp claws of a raptor. The moment he was grabbed, he felt as if he had been caught by a natural enemy, and he could not suppress the instinctive fear and trembling!

Kaneki could only occasionally sense this extremely dangerous aura from Yomi, who was working diligently. However, the old man who had captured him was emanating it all the time!

"I am Mado Kureo, a Senior Investigator of the CCG. May I have a word with you?" Mado Kureo's lips curled into a slight smile, and coupled with his neurotic expression, he exuded the air of a madman. He pointed to the inner part of the branch, to the area behind the RC detection gate.

"It's inside!"

"Are you Mr. Mado?" Upon hearing that this old man was Mado Kureo, whom Yomi-senpai and Amon-sensei sometimes mentioned, Kaneki Ken felt a sense of disillusionment.

How should I describe it?

Kaneki, who was originally thought to be a perfect senior who would earn the heartfelt respect of the handsome man and beautiful woman, turned out to be a neurotic old man. Kaneki did not resist when he was forcibly pulled up by Mado and walked inside, looking somewhat resigned to his fate.

The RC detection gate did not react.

"Well……"

Mado Kureo, who had been excitedly staring wide-eyed, slowly regained his asymmetrical look. He looked at Kaneki Ken suspiciously, his fingers repeatedly trying to open the briefcase, but then letting go.

Slowly recovering from that unnatural excitement, Mado Kureo looked at Kaneki Ken, who seemed flustered, and rubbed his chin, realizing that the young man's reaction clearly indicated that he had heard of him.

"Ok?"

"I've heard Huang Quan and Mr. Amon mention you... Huang Quan! Over here!" Kaneki, busy explaining, caught a glimpse of Huang Quan holding a stack of documents out of the corner of his eye and hurriedly waved. Seeing Mado holding onto Kaneki tightly, Huang Quan suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.

Huang Quan hurriedly walked over, carrying the documents.

She hadn't expected Mado to return without prior notice, simply carrying his suitcase back from headquarters. Having not seen this man, who was like a teacher and a father to her, for some time, Yomi couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

"teacher!"

"Hehe, Yomi, you're in great shape." Upon seeing his prized student, Mado Kureo released Kaneki's hand and happily hugged Yomi.

This heartwarming scene was almost too much for Kaneki Ken to bear.

They look so much like father and daughter! Not in terms of appearance, but the atmosphere between them after their reunion is just like that of a father and daughter! Even the usually icy beauty, Yomi-senpai, thaws and warms up after seeing Mr. Mado, her joyful smile so obvious! Kaneki keenly senses that Mr. Mado must be a very, very important person to Yomi-senpai!

“Teacher, this is Ken Kaneki, my junior at Kamii University…” He naturally introduced Kaneki to Mado’s father. “…He is also the boy who is learning swordsmanship from me.”

"OK."

"Kaneki, aren't you supposed to be going to work at [Antiques]? Don't be late." Huang Quan patted Kaneki on the shoulder, helping him out of the predicament and giving him a way out.

Watching Kaneki's departing figure, Mado Kureo, whose gaze remained thoughtful, looked towards Yomi, while his prized disciple's scarlet pupils concealed no true emotion behind his sunglasses.

"There was something about him that made me 'ping' excited, so I specifically checked him out with the door... Sigh, I guess I'm getting old, my intuition isn't accurate anymore."

In fact, Mado Kureo's intuition was frighteningly accurate...

“He does indeed have something hidden on him.” Huang Quan smiled slightly, and her smile seemed to infect Mado, who, after a brief moment of surprise, also revealed a shrewd smile.

It's clear that the problem isn't with his senses; it's probably something else entirely!

Trusting Yomi completely, Mado Kureo didn't press her for more information about Kaneki Ken. Instead, he picked up his suitcase and walked with Yomi towards the back of the 20th Division. Seeing his mentor's complete trust and lack of questions only strengthened Yomi's resolve to do what she had already decided to do.

Huang Quan will give Mado Kureo a big surprise.

Before that, she would need Hideyoshi Nagachika's help.

"By the way, where's Amon-kun?" He was just thinking about his other injured disciple, Mado Kureo, who had brought him a very special gift from headquarters. If he had this weapon, combined with Amon Kotaro's strong physique, his direct combat ability in the Crow Squad would probably instantly surpass Yomi!

"They should still be training. Please follow me."

Chapter Eighty: Preparing to Set Off

When Mado and Yomi found Amon, he was still diligently doing push-ups on the training field.

A small puddle had formed beneath him, and he was still mumbling numbers incoherently, reaching an astonishing eight hundred. Sensing the familiar footsteps, Amon Kotaro sprang straight up from the floor as if nothing had happened, a display of incredible physical prowess that made Yomi's eyelids twitch.

Huang Quan's body is being subtly transformed by transferred energy.

Although it has been a short time, it has already shown initial results.

Huang Quan couldn't compete with Amen, a muscle-building fanatic, and wondered if his partner Amen had somehow built muscle into his brain.

"Mr. Mado!"

Seeing that his mentor had run back from headquarters without giving him any prior notice, Amon also showed an excited and joyful expression.

"Come on, Amon-kun, try out your new weapon." Mado Kureo and Amon were old partners, often going through ups and downs, and Amon didn't show his emotions as openly as Yomi. But presumably, Amon's joy was no less than Yomi's.

Upon receiving the box from Mado, Amon immediately felt its heavy weight!

Clearly, this is also a heavy-duty Quinque!

When Mado Kureo was young and strong, he mostly used heavy weapons, primarily Koukaku, as they could handle almost any ghoul. Coupled with his partner wielding a Ukaku (feathered kagune), they were essentially a versatile duo, and that remains true today.

However, as the investigators' individual abilities have increased, their team combinations have become more diverse.

Feathered firearms are no longer necessary.

For example, the most typical examples are the [Crow] and the Arima Squad led by Arima Kishou, also known as the [Zero Squad].

Kakyakura!

When Amen activated the Kunk from the briefcase, Huang Quan felt a sudden darkness before his eyes as a large amount of light was blocked by the massive Kunk in Amen's hand.

A horse-slaying sword? No! It's much wider and thicker than a horse-slaying sword; it should be classified as a greatsword! The thick, black blade is as heavy as a door panel, but the tip is flattened, lacking the spikes of a traditional greatsword. Imagining the strong and robust Amon wielding this thing to ravage ghouls, Yomi felt a subtle pity. Congratulations to Amon for evolving into the Amon Chariot!

"【Cang】is very suitable for you to use, and it complements Huang Quan perfectly."

Mado Kureo nodded with satisfaction. Judging from the selection, Amon was the best candidate to use the Kagaku. Although he could also use it, he did not have the robust physique of a young man. The sinister umbrella-shaped Quinque in his hand was more suitable for him.

"It also has another form, which I will explain to you in detail later. In the future, let's get to know our new partner better."

Having obtained the new weapon, Amon was eager to try it out.

If you're looking for someone to practice on, Huang Quan would be the best choice. However, looking at the exaggerated giant sword on the door panel and then at the delicate-looking Huang Quan, Amon was too embarrassed to speak up.

Furthermore, dealing with ghouls and dealing with humans are completely different types of combat, so using Yomi as a sparring partner wouldn't be very meaningful. Overall, Amon Ichiro has taken another significant step towards becoming a true warrior, and as the front-line shield of the Raven Squad, his increased strength will also indirectly enhance Yomi's abilities.